NPS and beyond: create products that truly connect
Early stages of building a digital platform are exciting, but they come with real risks. Usage is often still relatively low. Formal research systems aren’t yet in place. And the little feedback that exists tends to come from a handful of customers, often the most vocal ones.
This poses a risk of building a product based on personal preferences rather than defined design patterns.
Without a structured way to collect broader feedback, teams can easily be pulled off track, chasing loud opinions instead of actual user needs.
Your NPS might be trying to tell you something
This is where Net Promoter Score (NPS) can come in handy, a simple but powerful tool.
Originally developed by the business strategist Fred Reichheld in 2003, NPS measures customer loyalty by asking just one question:
"How likely are you to recommend a product/service to a friend or colleague?"
One click feedback just in time
When users aren’t happy, they won't always write detailed complaints. They might not even bother to churn loudly.
When something feels wrong, like Figma’s new UI not sticking after months of trying, or Duolingo’s level pacing leaving learners stuck, we don’t want to dig through support pages or forums to seek companionship among other unhappy users.
As users, we experience products in real-time, not at the end of a quarter when a survey drops in our inbox. We want a simple, visible way to say: "Hey, something isn’t working for me."
NPS is a great starting point for this: numbers are a non-confrontational way to capture the emotions that open doors to dig deeper into the reasons and expectations behind them.
Moving closer to real feedback
The future of UX measurement isn’t about bigger, fancier metrics, it’s about moving closer to the moment.
The problem today is that feedback channels are often hidden, clunky, or exhausting.
Users are asked to leave the flow and demanded to fill in long-form explanations. Moreover, they are given no sign that their input will ever be seen or acted on. In the end, users don't bother and valuable insights slip away.
So a simple tool like NPS or a similar unobtrusive, smartly placed feedback widget to invite feedback lightly, inside the experience, is the key.
A quick "Was this helpful?" after a new flow. A one-click emoji to signal delight or frustration. An optional text box only if you want to say more.
Behind the scenes, this allows tagging feedback by feature, user segment, and journey stage that further enables connecting it back to product decisions quickly, not months later in some boardroom meeting.
When and how to place it
Place the survey after a meaningful experience, like completing onboarding or a purchase, not immediately after landing on the homepage.
Use a small, friendly pop-up or an in-app banner, avoiding full-screen interruptions that feel aggressive.
Have a small, visible feedback button available within the product, allowing users to share their thoughts whenever they feel ready.
If you're SaaS, consider embedding it discreetly into the user dashboard, or sending it via email to your customer base for a regular feedback.
Consider rewarding the users who leave detailed comments or actively recommend the product, such as early feature access, discounts or loyalty perks. These gestures of kindness can strengthen engagement and quality of feedback.
Collecting scores is just the starting point
While having an overall satisfaction level is helpful, the true value comes from associating feedback with the specific user category based on their score. This segmentation allows for a deeper understanding of the different experiences and highlights areas that may require further research or usability testing.
Promoters (scores of 9-10): These users are highly satisfied and loyal, likely to recommend your product to others. Their feedback can highlight what’s working well and where the product excels.
Passives (scores of 7-8): These users are satisfied but not fully engaged. While they don’t actively detract from the product, their feedback can reveal areas for improvement that might help convert them into Promoters.
Detractors (scores of 0-6): These users are unhappy with the product and can help identify significant pain points. Their feedback is critical for understanding what needs to be fixed to prevent churn and improve overall user experience.
Quick feedback or scores do not replace deeper research, testing or analytics. It does provide a real-time emotional connection that serves as the foundation for loyalty, as successful products grow through user trust and relationships, not just features.
